WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO DO

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The title of our lesson is:  “What Everyone Needs to Do.”

 

B.      The title gives way to a broad spectrum of thoughts and ideas, doesn’t it?

1.       Everyone needs to know God.

2.       Everyone needs to obey God.

3.       Everyone needs to show love others.

4.       Everyone needs to be freed from sin.

5.       Everyone needs to come to an understanding of God’s Word.

 

C.     As I thought about what everyone needs to do, one word came to my mind:  PREPARE!

1.       Everyone needs to be in a state of readiness.

2.       Everyone needs to plan and get ready for something that is expected.

 

I.                    THE BIBLICAL ADMONITIONS

 

A.     The Bible tells us to be ready (Luke 12:40)

 

Be ye therefore ready also:  for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

 

B.      The Bible admonishes us to watch (Matt. 25:13).

 

Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

 

C.     Example:  A large shipment to be delivered to your house that you must sign for.

1.       You are told the delivery date and time:  August 15^th between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.  During that time, you are watching.

2.       It is a 72 inch TV.  You need a wall upon which to hang it and an outlet and the internet cable near by.  When it comes, you need to be ready to have it mounted so you can enjoy it.

 

II.                 PREPARING FOR WHAT?

 

A.     There are three events that all need to prepare for.  Two of them lead to the third.

 

B.      First, there is death.  Second, there is the Second Coming of Jesus?  Third, there is the Judgment.

1.       Death is the first thing that will come to most (Rom. 5:12).

 

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

 

a.       My parents, my grandparents, my great aunts and uncles, have been taken by death.

b.      Some of my classmates in 1^st Grade, 7^th Grade, and from college have died.

c.       Only one of my instructors from the MSOP is still alive.

d.      Many preachers that I looked up to when I was young are no longer on the earth.

2.       Jesus will come again (1 Thess. 4:16-17)

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:  and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air:  and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

a.       When Jesus comes, the dead will be raised

b.      Then, those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Him in the air.

3.       These two things lead to that final event, Judgment.

a.       Hebrews 9:27

 

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

 

b.      2 Corinthians 5:10

 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

c.       It is difficult to get us to understand the gravity of the judgment.

It is difficult for us to experience the individuality of the judgment.

It is difficult for us to appreciate what is means to stand before God in judgment.

It is difficult to get us to feel the emotions of the judgment.

It is difficult for us to realize that we will be facing our eternal destiny.

It is difficult for us to comprehend that our knowledge, our faith, and our deeds will be of paramount importance at the judgment.

d.      When all of these things come upon us as we step before the Judge of the earth, we will either be ready, or, we will wish we would have prepared.

1)      My time has arrived.

2)      I must now give an account.  I must explain myself to God. 

3)      My words, my deeds, my thoughts, my agendas, my attitudes, my plans, everything will be analyzed in light of God’s holy Word.

4)      Here, it is all or nothing. 

It is “make it” or break it.

It is lost or save. 

It is either, “Well done,” or “I never knew you.”

It is heaven or hell.

 

III.              HOW TO PREPARE

 

A.     One thing we must do is look for Him.

1.       Philippians 3:20

 

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2.       The word “look” means “to expect.” 

3.       If we are going to be prepared, we must be expecting the Lord’s return.

 

B.      We must become like Jesus (Rom. 8:29).

 

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…

 

1.       Do I look like Jesus? 

2.       Do others truly see Jesus when they see me?

 

C.     We must obey Jesus (Heb. 5:9).

 

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

 

D.     We must serve, work, and worship our Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).

 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 

E.      We must evangelize for Jesus and bring fruit unto him (John 15:8).

 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

 

F.      NOTE:  When we preach on topics like study, prayer, worship, visiting, loving one another, etc., we are trying to get you in a state of readiness for that Last Day.

 

IV.              TWO EXAMPLES

 

A.     In the opening verses of Matthew 25, Jesus told a parable of ten virgins who were anticipating the coming of the bridegroom.

1.       Five were wise and took extra oil for their lamps.

2.       Five were foolish, “and took no oil with them” (v. 3).

3.       The lamps of the five foolish virgins went out.  They had to go to them that sell in order to purchase more oil.

4.       While they were away, the bridegroom came.

5.       Verse 10 is extremely applicable to our discussion.

 

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage:  and the door was shut.

 

a.       They that were “ready” went in.

b.      They that were “prepared” went in.

c.       They that were “in a state of readiness” went in.

d.      They that paid attention, did their due diligence, and set their things in order went in.

 

B.      Paul’s words at the close of his life (2 Tim. 4:6).

 

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

 

1.       “I am now ready…”

2.       That little word “ready” means more than simply being content to die. 

3.       Paul was ready and prepared (v. 7)

 

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

 

4.       He was in a state of readiness to go before the Lord

 

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown or righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day…

CONCLUSION

 

A.     Yes, the one thing that all of us need to be doing is making proper preparations for the last day.

1.       Our hearts will cease to beat.

2.       Our lungs will cease to take in oxygen.

3.       Our eyes will close and see this world no more.

4.       This earth will be rolled up like a scroll.

5.       The heavens and earth will pass away with a great noise and with fire.

6.       The Lord and His angelic host will descend from the heavens.

7.       All nations will be gathered before the Lord in judgment.

 

B.      Preparation is not something that we just think in our heads.  Preparation is a definite state of being (Ex., going on a backpacking trip at CHI, Inc.).

 

C.     Amos 4:12

 

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel:  and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.